Mail box



Patented Sept. 9, 1 947 I A Box- Paul J; Amett; South Charieston, w. Va. Application June 28, msaia No.'6so,027

3 Claims. (Cl. 232-`19) i This invention relates to mail boxes.`

Anobject of the invention is to provide a mail box which' may be placed in a. door such asa storm door and the like by removing one-of the glass lig hts in the door and fastening thelmail 3 box `-in "its place.

Another object of the inventionis to provide a mail box which may be fastened to a storm door and the like and. from which mail may be collected by the"residents of a. building without opening the storm door, thus providing additional convenience in cold and otherwise disagreeable weather. 7

'A further object of the invention is to provide a mail bo which is constructed of a lightma terial such` as plastic, and adapted for installation either permanently or temporarily as"desired, in doors, With provision for removal of mail therefrom by a resident remaining within the building, with resultant privacy and pro-tection against the elements.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a mail box having the features above mentioned and which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufaoture, and effective in operation. .e v v t Other objects and advantages of 'the inventicm will become apparent from the following descrip tion of a preferred embodiment thereof asillustrated in the accompanying drawings, and in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved mail box asinstalled in a door,

Figure 2 is an elevational View of my mail box V and the door panel in which it is installed,

Figure 3 is a side elevation in section taken on line 3-3 otFigure 2,

Figure 4 is a rear elevation as seen from the right side of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a. detail perspective of a fastening clamp, and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of a modified form of mail box.

Reference is now had to the drawings, in

-whch like reference characters denote similar top or lid 4 for depositing mail swings upward 55 v as shown inFigure 3 by means of plastio circular lugs z and 30 and metal pivot pins 3.

Mail is removed from the rear of "the box' or inside of the house by a p1astic door`|G ,-`shown in Figures 3 and 4, which is hinged at the bottom on plastic circular lugs `l9 and 32 and metal pins 20 and swings downward as shown; In closed position the door !6 is ush with the back iaceof panel I and rests against two plastic lug steps 23, and is` held closed by plastic button or handle 13 which is pivoted at its centnon pivot pin l4. To open the door, button [3 is turned to a horizontal position and plastic han dle l2 is grasped and pulled forward toward the person Operating the door. 'The procedure is reversed upon closing the door. Figures 3' and 4 show the door IB closed, and Figura 3 also shows the door in partially open position in dotted linesfi. v a v.

Attached to the main removal door 16 .is a. curved piece of thin spring steel |0 with a rolled serrated edge 24, the member o being attached to the door by metal rivets Il. The purpose 'of this curved piece of spring steel isto provide 'a theft guarcl or :foil by means of which mailniay be :deposited from` the outside butcannotgbe removeirom` the outside by persons; inserting their fngers through lid 4 to remove .the

mail.` This member IO also provides protection .from rain water should thevlid be partly open,

and when the door !6 is fully open will also act as a support rest for mail. 4-

At the bottom of the mail box 6 are attached two plastic semi-circular lugs 'I molded into the box and having open holes 8 for the attachment of the conventional type of wire newspaper rack 22, or the like. The plastic panel l is scored to a depth of g inch at all four corners at quarter inch intervals as at 2I. The purpose of this marking is to provide index guides for cutting the panel to size with a knife or fine saw to fit any size standard glass opening of storm or house door.

The mail box is installed by removing one of the existing glass lights from the door, -t-imming panel l to size by means of the index markings 2I and attaching removable slotted angle clamps !5 on the inside face of the door muntins 9. These metal clamps !5 'as shown best in Figure 5, have a slot 22 which is slid under the' head of the fastening screw 26 attaohed to the door mutins 9. By tightening the screw 26 the panel I is held in place and by loosening the screw, the clamp !5 may be sld out for removal of the Figure 3 shows a removable thin perforated plastic floor l8 with draln hole IT in the mail box 6, this arrangement bein also shown in Figure 2. The purpose of this floor is to give the mail a dry resting place and at the same time remove moisture collecting through condensation or infiltration of rain. Accumulated water col-- lects in the space 25 and is drained off through holes IT. Figura 6 shows a modified Construction in which the bottom door IG is on the same level a the perforated floor lsa, which is molded in.- tegral with the box 6 forming the water space ZSA beneath. A

The main advantage of the mail box shown herein is that the mail canbe collected by the res.- idents without opening the storm door since the mail is removed from the rear or inside through the hinged door in the mail box. This mail box is very useful in cold and disagreeable climates, and during cold. and bad weather elsewhere during the Winter season, since it allows house occupants to collect the mail without getting out into the weather and at the same time prevents the loss of heat from the house. The mail box could be. similarly installed in regular house doors. Since many houses at present have no front entrance porch, the installation of the mail box in such residences will provide much greater convenience, protection from the weather, and privacy than is possible in the conventional type of mail box. 'I'he mail box' is designed to be quickly installed or removed from the door, and can be manufactured to sell as a removable unit in the above manner or permanently installed in storm doors.

Although I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention in specific terms, it i to be understood that various changes may be made in size, shape, materials and arrangement without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Iclaim:

1. A mail box for installation in a door panel of a building door, comprising a hollow box like receptacle for mail and comprising a floor member, left and right side walls, and a front wall, a transparent panel member receivable in said door panel and having an aperture therein, said receptacle being molded integral with the marginal edges of aid aperture of the panel member, a mail receiving opening in said receptacle, a. cover 'member accessible from outsidethe door and hinged'oversaid mail receiving opening for closing the same, and a transparent removal door hinged over said panel aperture for permitting i persons within the building to remove mail from said receptacle.

2. A mail box for installation in a door panel in a building, comprising a transparent panel member receivable in said door panel and having an aperture therein, a, hollow box like mail receptacle molded into said aperture and having an opening outside the door for the reception of mail, said aperture in the panel affording access f om inside the building into the mail receptacle for removal of mail therefrom, a hinged, lid covering said mail reception opening, and a transpar ent hinged door for covering said mail removal p rture.

3. A mail box for installation in a door panel in a build-ing, comprising a transparent panel member receivable in said door panel and having an aperture therein, the transparent panel being score@ to permit trimming thereof, a hollow box like mail receptacle molded into said aperture and having an opening outside the door for the reception of mail, said aperture in the panel affording access from inside the building into the mail receptacle for removal of mail therefrom, a hinged lid covering said mail reception opening, and a transparent hinged door for covering said mail removal aperture.

PAUL. J.

REFERENCES CITEDV The following references are'of record in the file of this' patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 492,443 Stewart Feb. 28, 1893 FOREIGN PATE'NTS Number Country Date 25,371 Great Britain Apr. 24', 1913 

